


A Warm Gesture

by STARSdidathing



Series: AU’s I (Really) Didn’t Need [8]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cute, First Meetings, Flirting, Fluff, Fluff without Plot, Hoodies, M/M, Romantic Fluff, Sharing Clothes, Wordcount: 1.000-5.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-01
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2019-05-16 16:41:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14815043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/STARSdidathing/pseuds/STARSdidathing
Summary: Loki isn't exactly the generous type, but even he can't ignore a handsome, shivering, brown-eyed stranger at the bus terminal who's in need of a jacket.





	A Warm Gesture

**Author's Note:**

> I have done surprisingly well with this series in the last month. I completed this not long after posting the previous AU, and have already written the next one XD What can I say, my brain has been liking these plots and feeling FI inspired lately! So, I hope you enjoy this oneshot! :D
> 
>  **The prompt for this was:** _• “i catch you at the bus terminal shivering your ass off because it’s 30 degrees (-1) and for some godforsaken reason you’re wearing a short sleeve t shirt, so out of pity i lend you my hoodie and you look so surprised it’s the cutest thing i’ve ever seen, setting aside the fact that you’re a goddamn idiot, do you want to get sick?” au_  
>  • (cont.) “you look so sad and cold that i just tell you to keep my hoodie b/c you obviously need it more than i do. a week later i see you at a coffee shop/book store/etc. and you’re wearing my hoodie which you look so fucking tiny and cute in, and you just saw me and you look super embarrassed; you offer me it back but i tell you it suits you more and we end up talking and i buy you a drink” au

Loki was at the bus terminal. Loki was at the bus terminal in the middle of _winter_ because his brother had not only borrowed his car but _wrecked_ it in a fit of stupidity. Loki was still seething and it had been over a week. He didn’t care that Thor was apologetic and going to pay to get it fixed. It didn’t stop the fact that Loki was forced to take public transport at the worst time of year. 

He’d been the only one waiting for the first ten minutes until a brunet had ducked in under the railing. He was Loki’s age and he was handsome. He was also, for some godforsaken reason, wearing a short-sleeve shirt and shivering so loudly that Loki could almost hear the man’s teeth chattering.

Loki was half-expecting the man to turn into an iceblock. 

He glanced at him a few times for the first few minutes that they shared the terminal. The man was hugging himself tightly and trying to shelter from the wind. He looked pathetic; like a little lost dog. He even had the big brown eyes to match it, although, they weren't looking up at Loki, rather they were staring miserably at the ground in front of him.

It had Loki warring with himself for a long moment but, in the end, Loki unzipped his hoodie, thankful that he was wearing a thick jumper underneath. Stepping closer to the other man, Loki held the jacket between them, saying absently, “Here.”

The man’s head jerked up, his eyes flying wide as he looked between Loki and the hoodie. He looked so endearingly surprised and incredibly grateful that Loki had to repress a smile. 

Shyly, the brunet took the jacket and hurriedly pulled it on and zipped it up. 

“Thanks,” he told Loki quietly, a flush on his cheeks that could have been embarrassment or just from the chill. 

When he smiled, it made Loki want to smile back. It also made him want to _flirt_ and he had to swallow the urge down. He wasn’t at a gay bar, he was at a bus terminal and he had no idea if the other man was interested in men. He settled instead for somewhat gruffly remarking, “It’s freezing, why aren’t you wearing a jacket?”

The man just looked sheepish; running a hand through his hair and looking adorable. “I loaned it to a friend and then I got distracted and they walked off wearing it.”

Loki couldn’t help letting out a small huff of laughter. He knew he’d only just met the man, but he had a feeling that ‘distractions’ were a common problem with the brunet. Loki had planned to ask him exactly what happened, to continue talking with the man until he worked out if he was single, but before he could, the familiar sound of a breaking bus was heard. Loki glanced over his shoulder and felt a small pang of disappointment when he realised it was _his_ bus.

When he glanced back at the other man, it seemed he had realised as much, looking down at the hoodie with a tight grimace while his cold, stiff fingers went for the zip. It was a split second decision, but Loki quickly told him, “Keep it.” The brunet looked up with wide eyes, but Loki just gave him a faint smile. “You obviously need it more than I do. Try not to get sick.”

The brunet’s mouth had fallen open slightly with surprise and his large brown eyes stared up at Loki with gratitude and a bashful relief. It made Loki truly regret that he couldn’t stay and do more - or stay and _flirt_ , but such was the way of things.

Turning, Loki started to head towards the bus, the doors opening and blasting him with hot air.

“Hey!” He paused, looking over his shoulder at the other man. He was fiddling with the zip of the hoodie, his teeth chewing lightly on his lower lip. He looked like he was debating what to say, but when the bus driver impatiently cleared his throat; the brunet awkwardly smiled and told Loki, “Just, thanks.”

Loki gave him another faint smile and a nod before he stepped onto the bus and paid his fare. He couldn’t stop himself from glancing out the window at the other man even as he walked down the aisle. He found the brunet looking back and Loki held the man’s gaze until the bus pulled away and he was forced to take a seat with a loud sigh.

It was just Loki’s luck that he met a cute stranger but wasn’t able to do anything about it before he had to part from him.

* * *

A week later, Loki hadn't forgotten the other man, but he had resigned himself to never seeing him again. 

When he entered his favourite coffee shop however Loki froze just inside the door. The same man from the bus terminal was standing to the side of the counter waiting for his order. Running into him twice in a city this large was surprising in itself, but what completely stunned Loki was that the brunet had on _Loki’s hoodie_. It was impossible to mistake it. Loki had purchased it when he was last in Norway and it had Norwegiean text on it. The hoodie was also too big for the brunet, making the man look even smaller than he already was; the sleeves were almost falling over his hands and the material around his chest and waist looked baggy and _ridiculously_ adorable.

The man was quick to notice Loki as well, and the moment he did, his entire face flushed and his eyes flicked away in obvious embarrassment. Loki just felt something in his stomach squirm at the idea that the other man had continued to wear his hoodie. He wanted to know why he did and if it in anyway hinted at an attraction to men, and more specifically, to Loki himself.

The brunet scratched the side of his face, near his goatee, his eyes darting back to Loki and the same sheepish smile from a week ago making an appearance, especially as Loki walked over to him. The coffee shop wasn’t particularly busy so it was easy to hear one another as Loki greeted him, “Hello again.”

“Hi,” the man answered. He also licked his lips before gesturing at the hoodie. “I, um, really didn’t expect I’d get caught wearing this.” He gave a guilty little laugh that just made Loki grin. “But hey, now you get it back, I guess.”

He started to reach for the zip, but Loki stopped him. “No, keep it,” and before he could stop himself, Loki added, “I think it looks better on you.”

The compliment made the man glance at him with a stirring of curiosity and interest in his eyes. It bolstered Loki’s confidence, but before he could speak more, one of the baristas was calling, “Tony?”

The brunet, _Tony_ , glanced over before quickly moving to take his drink. It was a takeaway cup, but when he turned back to Loki, it was with bright eyes as he asked, “So, if you’re giving me a hoodie, any chance I could make it up to you by buying you a coffee?”

Loki’s grin spread a little wider. “That depends, _Tony_ , would the coffee involve sharing a table and a conversation with you?”

When Tony’s face lit up with triumph and delight, Loki felt the thrill of success rush through him. Tony it seemed _was_ interested in men, or at least, in _him_. “That was my plan, yup.”

“Well then,” Loki made a gesture towards the cash register and Tony eagerly followed along beside him.

“So, do I get to know your name, my mystery clothing benefactor?”

Chuckling, he answered the other man, “Loki.”

“Ah. Norse God. Nice. I’m guessing that’s why I’m wearing a Norwegian hoodie?”

Loki’s eyebrows rose. “You know Norwegian?”

“Nope,” Tony answered cheerfully, “but I know how to Google. Which, just curious, why did you want : ‘ _To be in the middle of the butter's eye_ ’ on a hoodie?”

Loki couldn’t help it, he laughed. “ _Å være midt i smørøyet_ ,” he recited, watching the way Tony looked fascinated to hear him speak his native tongue. “It means ‘to be in the best possible spot’; I’ve always liked the concept.”

“Huh,” Tony remarked. “So, kind of like fate?” A sly smirk pulled at his mouth. “Like meeting someone at a bus stop who needs some help?”

Loki laughed again, an amused grin pulling at his mouth. “Or finding them again at a coffee shop?”

“Exactly,” Tony answered, his eyes dancing with humour. “Seems we’re right in the butter-zone.”

“Apparently so,” Loki agreed, repressing another laugh so that he could answer the cashier who wanted to take his order. 

He quickly gave it before he and Tony stepped back and away from the counter to wait for his coffee.

The time was filled with easy conversation and questions about each other. It was one of the more effortless, engaging and entertaining conversations Loki had ever had with another person. He barely noticed the time passing once he grabbed his coffee and they sat down. 

They even ended up ordering food as their discussions stretched for hours, and by the time they had to leave--after Tony received a phone call from his personal assistant asking him where the hell he was--it was with faint disappointment but with the exchange of numbers and a time already planned to meet again and this time for dinner.

Loki had to admit that even though he was still irritated to be making his way around without a car, the enjoyment of meeting Tony, planning to go on a date with him, and of watching the brunet walk away wearing _his_ hoodie - well, it had Loki a little less infuriated with his brother, in fact, privately--and with no plans to _ever_ inform Thor about it--Loki had to say; he was glad it had turned out the way that it had.

It felt, much like Tony had joked, that it really was like fate.

**Author's Note:**

> Annnd a sappy, fluffy ending. I hope you all liked it! :)


End file.
